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THE 



Progress of Civilization. 



THE CAUSE 



OK THE 



Stagnation in Business 



AND 



THE REMEDY, 



IPu.tolish.eci t>y 

Alexander McDonald. 



PASADENA, CAL. 
1889 

Copyright, iSSo. 



:3 18' 



^ 



The Progress oe Civilization. 



The Cause oe the Stagnation in 
Business and the Remedy. 



A PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE SYSTEM OF 
OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. 



OX account of the disturbed condition of our country? 
politically, socially, and financially, which has 
alarmed and aroused the people throughout this nation, 
demanding a remedy and a final settlement of such dis- 
turbances, my attention was attracted in that direction, 
and after due deliberation, loigj-e discovered a system 
and have framed laws whicl>-will remedy the evils that 
so disturb our dountrv'. The manner of carrying it into 
effect is by an organization to be known as The United 
Okdee op the'-Pbog-ress- of _ Civilization, which I 
planned at No. 28 Alexander Avenue, Boston, Mass., and 
revised at Pasadena, Qui., and I am now prepared to 
organize. 

The progress of civilization demands frequent and 
radical changes which must be met in disregard of pre- 
cedents and prejudice; and I see its ability to meet these 
demands by its giving to the inventive genius promises 



and protection which has enabled him, by his inventions 
to change the manners and customs of kingdoms, em- 
pires and nations, and to some extent has driven away 
the prejudice of the dark ages, which lends to us its en- 
chantments for still further changes. 

These alterations must be made, and can only be 
made, by an organization disconnected from all others, 
of which the objects are beneficial and reformatory. 
This organization shall have no party or color lines; nei- 
ther shall the question of sex be considered in the right 
of franchise. Females shall have the same rights and 
privileges with the males in the order. Great care will 
be taken in organizing this order. The ballot must be 
made honorable and effective, and that can only be done 
by an organization of this kind. Any person engaged in 
the manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquor, shall not 
be admitted to membership; nor shall any convict, poli- 
tician, pauper, drunkard or thief, or any other criminal 
be a member. 

This organization shall be formed under one head 
throughout this country, in towns and cities, and in 
wards in cities, in battalions each of one thousand mem- 
bers, males and females, of good, moral character, from 
the aire of eighteen years and upwards, and when the 
number of members shall reach one thousand, including 
its officers, there shall be no more admitted in that bat- 
talion until a vacancy by death or removal occurs, when 
such vacancy may be filled. 

The assessment at the death of members shall not be 
more than than two dollars, which assessment shall be 
paid to the^ beneficiary or heirs within sixty days after 
satisfactory proof of the death of a member shall have 
been presented. The other expenses connected with the 
order shall be an initiation fee of about two dollars and 
fifty cents, and a quarterly due of about fifty cents. 



All the members of the order shall be detective off cers 
and shall make reports to the head officers of persons 
and things that may be injurious to the order, that the 
interests of all the members may be properly guarded 
and protected. 

This organization will differ somewhat from all other 
beneficiary organizations in that there shall be no medi- 
cal examinations. Its great and main object shall be 
a political reformation, and continuance of membership 
in such an organization shall depend altogether upon the 
character of the person. Members shall take a solemn 
obligation to have no connection with any so-called re- 
ligious or political creeds or theories or associations 
opposed to the following reforms, and that they shall 
remain true to the order. The reforms are, that the fol- 
lowing laws shall be established by this organization for 
the government of these United States, which shall be 
enforced by this organization. Annexed are the laws 
with the workings of them briefly shown: 

LAW I. 

Sec. 1. All the paper currency of these United States 
shall be issued by the national government, and shall be 
full legal tender for all purposes for which money is 
used, and loaned by the government to the citizens of 
these United States who wish to borrow, secured by first 
mortgage on improved real estate, to the amount of one- 
half of its market value, interest not to be over one and 
one-half per cent per annum. Silver and gold also may 
be loaned, secured in the same manner, when there is that 
currency in the treasury, interest payable 'semi-annually. 

Sec. 2. All real estate upon which money is loaned 
shall be valued by the cash value of the average amount 
of its products per acre on the premises wheresoever lo- 
cated. The base of the cash value shall be ten per cent. 
For example : An acre of land producing a ton of hay, 
the average price per ton being ten dollars, would make 
the market value of that acre one hundred dollars. This 



principle shall be applied by the government on all 
loans on real estate. 

Sec. 3. The national government may also loan 
money to foreign nations who are on peaceable terms 
with the national government, and wish to borrow ; in- 
terest not to be less than two and one-half per cent per 
annum, payable semi-annually ; both principal and in- 
terest to be secured by national bonds, payable in gold 
by all foreign nations. 

By this Law I. the government is bound to issue all 

the paper currency of the country, and improved real 

ill be the b:ise of security. It also puts a fixed 

value on real estate for the purpose of loaning money. 

When the security of the currency is based upon the im- 

►f labor, it will expand just as fast and as far 

as Labor desires to have it. Greenbacks secured hi this 

manner will make them as good as gold, and will open 

mels ms largo as the country itself for the people 

owning improved real estate to borrow money direct 

government, as the demands require it, and in 

this way money will come and go to the people like the 

ebb and How of the tide, and prevent any money panics. 

is made by this law will also prevent for. -closing 

of mortgages, for when the greenbacks are paid to the 

government, they become dead, until the security bring 

them back again to the people. On that account it would 

be of no advantage whatever, so long as the interest is 

paid and the improvements are kept up. to foreclose on a 

green!) ack mortga ge. 

In paying their interest in this way, people arc paying 
f tax or revenue which is to support the government, 
instead of building up money monopolies, and the rate of 
interest would be the same throughout this country. 
This will ftlso prevent any State having an advantage 
over another in money matters, which will induce and 
encourage people to make and own their homes, because 



owning their homes would be the same as havin j a b mfc 
>unt, the security on which thsy could draw mor 

ae they might want it. 
By this law, places that are now waste and desoli 
will become beautified and inhabited b; aent and 

loyal citizens, who will b3 independent of all money 
monopolies, because they can put their labor into their 
homes, which will increase their security in case they 
wish to borrow money from the government. It will 
be to them as the sun and the early and later rain is 
the earth, giving its influence and assistance in building 
up a strong and happy nation, and in return receiving 
from the citizens and from foreign nations, interest or 
revenue on all the money loaned throughout this coun- 
try to pay government expenses. 

This law will also give the national government more 
power to control foreign nations who borrow money than 
a large army or navy, and would cause them to respect 
the national government in its onward course in the pro- 
gress of civilization to a more perfect day. A govem- 
ment of this kind will be creative of wealth, and whea 
fully carried into effect, will be self-sustaining and aFi its 
citizens exempt from taxation. 

LAW II. 

Sec. 1. All interest on money, mortgages, 1 
stocks, except gold and silver mining stock, to the citi- 
zens of these United States, shall be abolished, except to 
the government, and giving or receiving it shall be 
deemed an offense, subject to a penalty of not less than 
five or more than twenty years imprisonment at hard 
labor. 

This Law II. lays the axe at the root of a system 
which has kept the power of the people and their mone- 
tary interests at the feet and at the mercy of the bankers 
and hawkers on 'change, and which has kept labor 



6 



hedged up and has been robbing it of its just rewards by 
a system of legalized robbery ; for all interest paid, ex- 
cept to the government, is just so much taken out of 
labor for nothing. Labor cannot be benefited by pay- 
ing interest on a debt which never pays the debt. 

There are many people who pay in interest many 
times more than the amount of the principal, and yet the 
debt is the same. It is the most atrocious and diabolical 
system of legalized robbery that has ever been invented, 
or could be, by the most benighted, unprincipled heathen 
despot that has ever lived. It is this system that has 
put the money of the country into centers, where it has 
riveted the chains of labor and kept it in the low, beg- 
garly condition that it is now and has been for thousands 
of years. It has also made the borrower a slave to the 
lender, who, with the non-producer, look upon labor as 
something low and degrading, and laboring people are 
considered by some of that class to be akin to some of the 
lower animals and beasts of burden^ — a species of mer- 
chandise. 

A little over eighteen hundred years ago, Jesus Christ, 
the great teacher of righteousness, when in Jerusalem, 
went into the house of God and found the same per- 
nicious system working there in full blast, by which the 
hypocrites robbed labor of its earnings. He became so 
indignant, that he arose against the thieves, bitterly de- 
nouncing them; made a scourge of small cords and drove 
them out, telling them that they had made the house a 
den of thieves. He made no compromise with that class 
of hypocrites ; they will not be allowed to occupy a place 
in his kingdom. We have the same system in full force 
in our midst to-day, and those who hold high positions 
in the so-called Christian churches are the chief among 
the money-changers, who use every effort to cheat honest 
toil out of its hard earnings. But the teachers in these 






days are not like the one who used the scourge of small 
cords ; they have not even raised their voices against the 
wickedness of the pernicious system. Well did Isaiah 
the prophet speak of them when he said: " His watch- 
men are blind; they are all ignorant; they are all dumb 
dogs; they cannot bark. Sleeping, lying down, loving 
to slumber; yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never 
have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot under- 
stand; they all look to their own way, every one for his 
gain from his quarter."— [Isaiah, 56, 10-11.] Their title, 
except the Rev., is all right: D. D. — dumb dog. 

The reason the money holders of the country would 
like to have the system continued, is because it creates 
credits and forms debts, which are the base of the per- 
nicious system of usury. Any manipulation of the money 
of the country that causes the producer to pay one dollar 
more of the products of labor for any form of debt or in- 
terest thereon, robs the industries of our country. But 
as governments are instituted among men, deriving 
their just powers from the consent of the governed, and 
one of these powers is to coin money, for that reason all 
interest paid on money should be paid to the government 
to pay the expenses of the government. In this way all 
the citizens are benefited. By paying the interest, they 
are paying their tax, hence a government by and of the 
people, on one plane, free from all money monopolies. 
Any intelligent person will see that by such laws the la- 
boring people will be amply able to resist, not only the 
despotic encroachments of the money-holders, but will 
make idle, insolent, and overbearing aristocracy impos- 
sible. 

LAW HI. 

Sec. 1. All unimproved real estate in these United 
States, and all improved having been abandoned for the 
term of two years, shall be taxed. 



This Law III. will prevent people monopolizing and 
holding unimproved lands. 

LAW" IV. 

Sec. 1. All improved real estate not exceeding fifty 
acres in country places, and not exceeding five thousand 
feet in a city, owned by one person, and all incomes, tools 
and machinery shall be exempt from taxation. 

This law IV. will induce people to cut land up into 
small hom^s and have them improved to avoid taxation. 
It also puts a stop to the system of taxing the products 
of labor, or in other words, it abolishes the abominable 
system of forcing people to buy their own improvements, 
or of paying a fine or license for the privilege of making 
improvements or holding the products of their own labor. 
This places all citizens on an equal footing, and will 
give them an impetus to be industrious and economical, 
that they may own their homes, and all who do not have 
homes and own them, with such favorable circumstances, 
will be to blame. 

LAW V. 

Sec. 1. All citizens, males and females, in these 
United States at the age of sixty years and over shall be 
exempt from taxation, except on unimproved real estate, 
and all improved over the amount as stated in Law IV. 

This Law Y. releases citizens only at the age of sixty 
years and over from a compiilsory personal tax. 

LAW YI. 

Sec. 1. Every male in these Lmited States at the age 
twenty years to the age of sixty years, including all for- 
eigners who are getting a living in these United States, 
shall all be taxed equally ; also, all females at the age of 
twenty years, including all foreigners who are getting a 
living in these L T nited States, shall be taxed equally, but 
only one half of the amount of that paid by the males. 



9 



Sec. 2. All taxes shall be paid in semi-annual install- 
ments, and shall be due July 1st and January 1st, evei y 
year in every State in these United States. The tax bills 
shall be presented or left at the residence of the tax- 
payer, on or before the 15th day of June and December. 
All whose taxes are remaining unpaid after July and Jan- 
uary tenth, shall become delinquent and shall be subject 
to arrest and held in government employ, and allowed 
the current wages until paid, with all the cost of such 
arrest added to the tax-bill; except in case of sickness 
or destitution, when an abatement may be made, which 
shall appear on all such tax bills when receipted. The 
government shall furnish employment on any public 
works, allowing the current rate of wages to all persons 
who wish to pay their tax by labor. All employers shall 
be held responsible for the tax of the employees. Any 
person refusing to comply with this law, shall be subject 
to imprisonment at hard labor until paid. 

This Law YI. abolishes the present system of taxation 
which has produced more perjurers than any other sys- 
tem in force, and makes the tax direct and personal on 
foreigners as well as citizens. Ail men and women at 
the age of twenty years are held alike responsible for 
their tax. All have the same benefits of the public im- 
provements, and the protection of the laws of the coun- 
try. This will cause men and women to have a better 
interest in the government, and have a responsibility 
resting upon them which will cause them to be watchful 
in the expenditure of public money. It will make them 
better citizens, husbands and wives. 

Where people grow to manhood and womanhood 
without any responsibility, they are liable to become 
careless, slack, lazy and worthless, prowling over the 
country, violators of law, and then imprisoned, a burden 
upon the law abiding citizens. This law will clear that 
class out of the country and keep them out, for no person 
will be employed unless they can show a paid tax bill. 



10 

because the employers are held responsible for the tax 
of the employees. This will be a protection to home la- 
bor such as it has never had before. There are no good 
reasons why foreigners should be allowed to remain in 
this country without paying a tax, while citizens are 
taxed for all their improvements. It is an outrage upon 
the citizens of this country. 

This law also provides a way for all persons who have 
not the money to pay their tax. By applying to the gov- 
ernment, employment will be furnished them until their 
taxes are paid, and then they will receive a receipted tax 
bill, which will be sufficient evidence for their full liberty 
to employ or be employed anywhere or by whom they 
please. This will have a tendency to put a stop to all 
labor strikes, and all such employment shall be abso- 
lutely free from all compulsory tax by the government. 

The system advocated of an absolute land tax is one 
of the worst systems ever invented. It is sticking a 
death plaster on the mouth of every soul that comes into 
existence, by taxing the source which the Almighty has 
given to sustain life, and ought not to be countenanced 
by any intelligent person for a moment. 

LAW VII. 

Sec. 1. Foreigners shall not be allowed to land in 
any State in these United States, unless they can show 
some tangible means of support; also a good moral 
character. Any violator of this law shall be subject to 
a fine of three hundred to five hundred dollars, or im- 
prisonment at hard labor until paid. 

Sec. 2. All foreigners who are now or may hereafter 
become paupers in any State in these United States, 
shall be returned to their native country by the govern- 
ment of these United States, and if the same persons are 
found within the borders of these United States in the 
same condition within five years after being returned, it 
shall be deemed an offense, subject to a penalty of not 



11 

less than six months or more than two years imprison- 
ment at hard labor. 

Sec. 3. Foreigners of good reputation may be admit- 
ted to citizenship of these United States in ten years 
after the first application is made by the person desirous 
of becoming a citizen and have remained in these United 
States during that period, but not before the expiration 
of the ten years. 

Law VII. is to protect the citizens of this country 
from the burdens of foreign criminals and paupers, and 
fixes the time of foreigners becoming naturalized. By 
the present system of naturalizing foreigners, the country 
will in a very few years be controlled by a foreign ele- 
ment with all the superstitions and bigotry of the dark 
ages, which must be prevented to have peace and pros- 
perity. 

LAW VIII. 

Sec. 1. The government of these L T nited States shall 
sell at public auction any unimproved lands in any State 
in these United States, when a petition is presented to the 
government, signed by not less than three responsible 
citizens setting forth their intention of purchasing the 
said unimproved lands for the purpose of making im- 
provements, the nature of the improvements to be stated 
in the petition; also the time of commencing and finishing 
such improvements. The government shall then give 
notice to the owner, owners or heirs, by mail, or deliver 
at the last place of residence if known, of the petition, 
and the names and residence of the petititioners; then if 
the owner, owners or heirs refuse to sell, or neglect to 
make the improvements proposed by the said petitioners 
within the time specified in said petition, the government 
shall advertise such lands for sale in two daily papers 
published nearest the place of sale, for three months, 
three days in each month, the objects for selling to be 
stated in the advertisement, and sold on the last day of 
the third month to the highest bidder and a deed given 
* to the purchaser by the government, which shall be ab- 



12 



solute. Said purchaser shall make the improvements 
as stated in the said petition, or be held liable for all the 
costs of advertising and selling said lands and forfeit all 
rights by or under such sale, and the said lands shall re- 
vert to the original owner, owners or heirs, without costs 
or charges. When there are no forfeitures, the owner, 
owners or heirs shall pay all expenses of advertising and 
selling ail unimproved lands sold by the government, 
and the surplus, if any, shall be paid to the owner, own- 
ers or heirs. All unimproved lands shall be sold for un- 
paid tax in the usual manner. 

Law Till is for the purpose of removing all obstacles 
that may stand in the way of improvements or of settling 
up this country, and to prevent any person or corpora- 
tion holding unimproved lands. When citizens wish to 
purchase to make improvements, the owners must sell or 
make improvements themselves. 

LAW IX. 

Sec. 1. The ports of these United States shall be free 
and duties on imports abolished to all civilized nations 
who are on peaceable terms and will reciprocate with 
these United States. 

Law IX., with this code of laws, will open the way for 
the further progress of civilization, and the elevation of 
the nations who will comply with the laws. Never has 
there been such a grand and noble position taken by any 
nation before,, for by this law we have opened our doors 
to the civilized nations who will open unto us, that they 
with us, may enjoy the blessing of the free exchange of 
the products of our labor, which has hitherto cost labor 
millions of dollars under the pretense of protection to 
labor, which has now proved to be false. 

It may be said by some one that the tariff system lias 
done a great deal for this country. Well, it has. In 
the first place it has created a large army of high salar- 



ied officials, nonproducers, who are paid out of the earn- 
ings of working people. 2. It has stimulated ambit;- 
capitalists to form into manufacturing corporations 
throughout this country,, and has given them a monop- 
oly of the products. 3. It has left the way open for the 
free importation of the poorest, cheapest and lowest kinds 
of foreign labor to compete with the labor in this coun- 
try. If you fix a tariff system which will advance the 
price of the products of your labor fifty per cent more or 
less above that of other nations, you will, by such a sys- 
tem reduce the price of labor just that fifty per cent in 
all nations with whom you have any intercourse. That 
is just what has been done by our present tariff system, 
which is driving foreign labor into this country. Ail 
who plan any scheme to depreciate the property or labor 
of their neighbors, are only sharpening the rod for their 
own backs. It is a scheme of politicians, causing labor 
to light labor, in order that they may receive a benefit 
from it. The protection is to corporations and capitalists 
of this country only. The manufacturers in other coun- 
tries will not ship their products to this country at a loss, 
so the loss must be to ]abor in foreign countries, which is 
being felt in this country now, by the increase of foreign 
pauper labor, and has driven labor into organizations 
for self-protection, at a great expense to labor, for organ- 
ization is the only protection labor has. 4. It has given 
those corporations and capitalists power to press down 
the wages of their employees, driving them into strikes 
and loss of time and wages ; and to make the disturbed 
condition of the country more complete, those corpora- 
tions and capitalists have power through this tariff sys- 
tem, to form into great " trusts," enabling them to bring 
their power more direct upon the people, which will 
create strikes, riots, and destruction of property and an 
increase of the police force, prisons, alms houses, etc 



14 



Then follows an increase of taxation upon all the pro- 
ducts of labor, which has already taken place, and is felt 
to such an extent throughout this country that many peo- 
ple do not make the improvements which would have 
been made were it not for the increase of the taxes. 
This is tariff protection for you, which has also given 
us hundreds of thousands of officers of every description, 
besides criminals and paupers, to feed upon the enter- 
prising and wealth-producing people. 5. This same sys- 
tem has taken millions of dollars out of circulation into 
the treasury vaults, without any knowledge or law to put 
it into circulation again. Here labor finds itself like the 
fruit-bearing tree, with the money which stimulates it 
beyond its reach, with a host of non-producers, like suck- 
taking its life away. This code of laws, like the 
primer's knife, will take the suckers off to root or die, 
and relieve labor of one of its great burdens. 

LAW X. 

Sec. 1. The government of these United States shall 
not grant any license .or borrow any money at interest 
from any person or nations without the consent of the 
majority of voters of these United States. 

This Law X prohibits the granting of license which 
is an expense to the citizens without any benefit. It 
simply goes to support a set of officials, non-producers, 
are of no particular benefit to the community. It 
also prohibits the borrowing of money by a few repre- 
sentative men, who have and may again put the citizens 
into debt unnecessarily without their consent. 

LAW XL 

Sec. 1. The government of these United States shall 
build and control railroads, canals, electric and gas lights, 
water-works, telegraphs telephones, manufacturing es- 



15 



tablishments, insurance or any other improvements which 
will benefit the citizens in any State in these United 
States, and may purchase from any person or corpora- 
tion any of the said improvements when requested to do 
so, by a petition signed by a majority of the voters in the 
State, city or town where the improvements are to be lo- 
cated, made or purchased, by issuing- paper currency, 
based upon the improvements or purchases made. All 
said paper currency shall be called in and cancelled by 
the government, as soon as it can be done, by the income 
from all such improvements ; then the income from ail 
such improvements shall go to the State, city or town 
where the improvements are located, for the benefit of 
the citizen in the said State, city or town. 

Sec. 2. The national government may also build 
railroads, canals, telegraphs, telephones, electric and gas 
lights in foreign countries, that are on peaceable terms 
with the government, by issuing paper currency, based 
upon the said improvements, when requested to do so by 
a petition signed by twelve citizens of these United 
States, for the benefit of the government of these United 
States. Said paper currency shall be called in and can- 
celled by the government as soon as it can be done by 
the income from all such" improvement. 

Sec. 3. If conductors or superintendents, or any 
other person having* charge of any of these improvements, 
shall allow any person to use any of these improvements 
without paying the regular established price for the same, 
both shall be subject to a fine of not less than five hund- 
red or more than one thousand dollars each, or imprison- 
ment at hard labor until paid, and a final dismissal of the - 
offender from the employ of the government. 

This Law XL places the governing power so directly 
into the hands of the citizens, that they can control any 
enterprise for the good of all the people throughout this 
country, and hold any corporation in check by reason of 
such power; for the continuance of any corporation in 
business under this lav/ would depend upon its just deal- 
ings with the people. 

With such a law in force, the government could create 



16 

inexhaustible wealth for the benefit of its citizens. For 
example : If the citizens of Pasadena and Los Angeles 
wish to have a cable reilroad built from Los Angeles to 
Pasadena, the national government must build such a 
road when this law is complied with; and when the pa- 
per currency is called in and cancelled, it would be as if 
some rich friend had died and left a legacy for the bene- 
fit of his friends: that is, the paper currency has gone 
out of existences, and the wealth left for the benefit of 
the citizens. In other words, this law would be like the 
steam engine ; the people like the fire under the engine ; 
the paper currency like the steam that propels the whole 
train. This same system can also be applied to building 
sewers in any city or town throughout this country. 

LAW XII. 

Sec. 1. The government of these United States shall 
control all the waters in these United States and cause it 
to be distributed for domestic and irrigating purposes, 
according to the necessities of the people. 

This Law XII. puts the control of the waters of this 
country into the hands of the government, which by is- 
suing paper currency, based upon that security as pro- 
vided for in Law XL can dam the canyons in the moun- 
tains and store fountains of water and have it distributed 
to supply the needs of the people at a less cost than by 
any other system. 

LAW XIII. 

Sec. 1. All females who are citizens and are qualified 
voters, shall have the right of suffrage in every State in 
these United States. Citizens changing their place of 
residence, from one State to another, shall not forfeit the 
right of voting by such change, but mast have a certifi- 
cate of character from the proper authorities in the last 
place of residence, showing their right to vote before 
being allowed to vote. 



17 

This Law XIII. gives all the female citizens of this 
country the same rights of suffrage as the males. 

LAW XIV. 

Sec. 1. Any person or persons, in any State within these 
United States, engaged in the manufacture or sale of 
spiritous or malt liquors, who shall adulterate the same 
or sell or offer for sale le&s than one half pint, in the or- 
iginal package, sealed, and not to be drank on or within 
the premises, shall be subject, (both purchaser and sel- 
ler) to a penalty of not less than one or more than five 
years imprisonment at hard labor, and all such property 
shall be confiscated for the benefit of the people in the 
State, city or town where the property is confiscated. 

Sec. 2. These penalties shall apply to any person or 
persons adulterating any of the necessaries of life. 

Sec 3. Hotel keepers may serve wines to their guests 
at their meals, but shall not keep what is known as a bar 
or sell at retail. Aoy violator of this section shall be 
subject (both buyer and seller) to the same penalty as 
the liquor dealer. 

Sec 4. Any person engaged in the manufacture or 
sale of spirituous or malt liquors, also, all criminals, 
shall be disfranchised. 

This Law XIV. compels all persons engaged in any 
way in the liquor traffic, to sell it in its pure, unadulter- 
ated condition, ana not to be drank on or within the 
premises, which will do asvay with all open bar-rooms. 
It also disfranchises all persons engaged in that busi- 
ness, for that reason not eligible to any government 
office ; hence the power and influence of such traffic 
must sink into obscurity. 

LAW XV. 

Sec 1. Any person or persons in any State in these 
United States engaged in stock-raising, shall provide 
suitable shelter, food and water for all such stock. Any 
person neglecting to comply with this law shall be noti- 
fied by the national government to comply with the law 
within 30 days. Then if such persons refuse or neglect 



18 

to comply with this law at the expiration of the said 
thirty days, all such stock shall be forfeited and adver- 
tised for sale in three daily papers having the largest 
circulation nearest the place of forfeiture, for seven days 
and sold by the government on the seventh day at pub- 
lic auctiou to the highest bidder, for the benefit of the 
gos T ernmeut. 

This Law XV. will prevent persons or corporations 
from keeping any more stock than they can properly 
care for. In some States, thousands of cattle are allowed 
to suffer and die every year for the want of proper care. 

LAW XVI. 

Sec. 1 Eight hours labor shall constitute and be a 
legal days work in every State in these United States. 

This Law XVI. fixes the hours of labor at eight hours 
per day, which must be recognized throughout this 
country. 

LAW XVII. 

Sec. 1. All patents granted by the government of 
these United States shall become public property, and 
any citizen in these United States may manufacture the 
same by giving notice to the patentee or heirs of their 
intention so to manufacture, together with their name 
and place of business and State, city or town, may man- 
ufacture the same by using on all manufactured goods 
the name in the patent, and the name of the patentee and 
the name and place of the manufacturer, and paying a 
royalty to the patentee or heirs of not over five per cent, 
on the cost of manufacturing the same. AUsuch pat- 
ents shall have a certificate showing that the royalty has 
been paid, signed by the patentee or heirs, attached to 
all such patents, which shall be a receipt kept by the 
purchaser. Any violator of this law shall be subject to a 
fine of one hundred to five hundred dollars. 

This Law XVII. is to assist inventors in getting their 
inventions into use, lor by this law inventions become 
public property so that no moneyed power can control 
any invention for its own benefit, which is beneficial 



19 

to the public It also protests the inventors in their 
rights. 

LAW XVIII. 

Sec. 1. Any person or persons in any State in these 
United States advocating the division of any of the pub- 
lic moneys, or begging on the streets or from house to 
house, for any sectarian purposes, shall be subject to a 
penalty of not less than five or more than ten years im- 
prisonment at hard labor. 

This Law XVIII. is to prevent sectarian fanatics ad 
vocating the division of the public moneys, for the pur- 
pose of establishing sectarian institutions or parochial 
schools, which is likely to cause dispute and the division 
of this country. 

LAW XIX. 

Sec. 1. Every so called religious or sectarian institu 
tion, parochial or private school, in every State in these 
United States which is not open for public inspection, 
shall be inspected by officers appointed by the governor 
of each State to inspect such institutions at least tw T ice 
in each year, and if teachers or any so-called spiritual 
advisers are found teaching doctrines which deprive any 
person of their religious rights and the free exercise of 
their liberty by a pretense of some spiritual or supernat- 
ural power they have from God to bring some terrible 
calamity upon all w r ho will not accept their doctrine and 
submit to their dictation, such teachers are violators of 
the laws of liberty, and shall be subject to a fine of not 
less than five hundred or more than one thousand dol- 
lars for each offense, or imprisonment at hard labor un- 
til paid. 

This Law XIX. will cause every institution in this 
country to be open for public inspection, to prevent the 
practice of any imposition upon the ignorant, weak- 
minded and superstitious people. 

LAW XX. 

Sec. 1. The laws that govern the people of these 
United States, also the financial and monetary history of 



20 



the world, with all its changes and the effects of such 
changes upon the people of the world in the past, shall 
he taught in all the public schools in every State in these 
United States. 

This Law XX. is for the purpose of forcing all teach 
ers in all the public schools to teach their scholars the 
laws by which they are to be governed, that they may 
become better citizens and financiers, knowing the law 
and its effect. 

LAW XXI. 

Sec. 1 Every office or vacancy in any branch of the 
government department in these United States, to be 
filled, shall be advertised for bids in one paper in each 
State having the largest circulation, for one month, and 
shall be awarded to the lowest bidder, who must be a 
citizen of these United States, who shall give the proper 
sureties for the faithful performance of duty ia such place 
of trust ; and in case of resignation shall give two months 
notice. 

Sec. 2. The head officers in each branch of the gov- 
ernment department shall make a monthly report in de- 
1 ail of the business affairs in the office in their charge, 
between the first and tenth day of each month, which 
shall be published in a public paper making such reports. 

Sec. 3. The president of these United States and 
the governors of each State are exempt from this law, 
except the monthly reports, and shall be elected by a 
majority ot the voters. 

This Law XXI. gives the people of this country the 
benefit of competition in public offices, and will oblige the 
officers to make monthly reports in regard to the businsss 
affairs of their respective offices, for the information of 
the citizens, which will save thousands of dollars for the 
benefit of the people not now accounted for. It will also 
settle the civil service reform question. 

LAW XXII. 

Sec. 1. All legal documents shall be uniform in every 
State in these United St ites, and with as few words as 



21 



possible. The charges for taking acknowledgements by 
any justice or notary public shall not exceed fifty cents 
on each document. 

This law will prevent many a dispute and law suit. 

LAW XXIII. 

Sec. 1. Any attorney-at-law in any State in these 
United States, in any civil or criminal court, who shall 
take exceptions on technical points of law to defeat jus- 
tice, and cause unnecessary expense to public or private 
interests, after the preponderance of evidence has settled 
the matter beyond a doubt, and should be defeated in 
such exceptions, shall be subject to the same penalty 
with his or her client. 

This Law XXIII. puts all the unprincipled lawyers in 
a position where they will suffer the game penalty with 
their clients in all unjust dealings, and protect the hon- 
est people. 

LAW XXIV. 

Sec. 1. All voters in this system shall be detective 
officers, with power to arrest, or cause to be arrested, in 
any State in these United States, any so-called tramp or 
other suspicious persons who refuse to give a satisfactory 
account of themselves, or any violator of the law, and 
bring them into court, and if found guilty of any crim- 
inal act, they shall pay for any damage caused by them, 
with cost of arrest and cost of court, and all other ex- 
penses caused by such person. If not paid at once, they 
shall be imprisoned at hard labor and allowed the estab- 
lished rate of w T ages until all such charges and damages 
are paid. 

Sec. 2. Any person arresting another through malice, 
and it can be proven that the arrest was made through 
malice, without any violation of law, the party making or 
causing the arrest shall be held liable for all damages 
caused to the arrested party, together with all costs. 

Sec. 3. Any person caught shielding any criminal to 
defeat justice, shall be liable to the same penalty with 
the criminal 



22 



Tin's Law XXIV. holds all the voters under this sys- 
tem responsible for the execution of the law, for they are 
the life of the law ; hence an officer to cause it to be en- 
forced. This will do away, to a great extent, with the 
present expensive system of police force, and be a thou- 
sand times more effective. If you wish to retard or kill 
any law, or make it ineffective, all that is necessary to do 
is to put the authority of the law into the hands of a few 
officials, and then you have a dead law so far as the peo- 
ple are concerned. The officials are the law, to a great 
extent, for their own benefit and that of their friends; so 
you see that these few officials are the law, clothed in 
uniform, so that the transgressors may know them, and 
have time to get out of the way or cover up their tracks. 
It is about impossible for an officer of that stamp to get 
evidence to convict any one. It is simply playing hide 
and seek with the devil at a great expense to the taxpay- 
ers; — a very foolish and dangerous system, by which cit" 
izens are not safe. By this system, the eyes of the law 
are around you like the light in the day and like the 
darkness in the night ; it will be impossible to get away 
from the eyes of the law and citizens will be safe and the 
way of the transgressor made hard. 

LAW XXV. 

Sec. 1. Any person or persons holding office in any 
branch of the government departments of these United 
States, who may in any way dishonor the office by de- 
falcation, giving or receiving bribes, or unlawfully using 
any money or other valuables belonging to the govern- 
ment, shall be subject to a penalty of not less than fif- 
teen or more than twenty-five years imprisonment at 
hard labor ; and if found guilty of inefficiency or neglect 
or both, they shall be subject to a penalty of not less 
than six months or more than five years at hard labor. 

This Law XXV. will cause all government officials to 
be diligent and watchful in all official transactions, and 



23 



will hokl the inefficient and neglectful in restraint ; hence 
we shall have the very best material in office. 

LAW XXVI. 

Sec. 1, All criminals shall serve under this law whero 
their labor will be of the greatest benefit to the govern- 
ment of these United States, well secured by chain and 
weight. 

This law XXVI. will cause crime to decrease in this 
country. There are very few people who would stand in 
front of an express train in motion or put their head un- 
der a trip-hammer and wait to have it come down upon 
them, because they know what the effect would be: so in 
this case crime will disappear to a great extent when 
these laws become known. 

LAW XXVII. 

Sec. 1. Any laws that conflict with this code of laws 
are hereby repealed, on the adoption of this code by a 
majority of the voters, and signed by the president of 
these United States. 1 

Sec. 2. These laws shall be in full force until 
changed, amended or abolished by a two-thirds vote of 
the people of these United States, and signed by the 
president, but not in any other way. 

The adoption of this code will not retard or disturb 
the business of the country, or any law that is now in 
force, except those that conflict with this code, It will 
be like an opening wedge, opening up vast fields of en- 
terprise and prosperity such as has never been witnessed 
in this country before. We have a country with a variety 
of climate, and as productive a soil as can Le found in 
any part of the known world, with copious rains. We 
have inexhaustible mineral wealth, men of energy and 
enterprise, with an abundance of skilled labor, all ready 
to spring into life and action, all of which is muddled and 
hedged up, not from any fault of the country, climate or 



24 



soil, but in the system of government, especially the laws 
fixing the base of the security of the currency. But by 
the adoption of this system, which makes improved real 
estate the base of security, all interest paid by borrow- 
ers would be a tax or revenue to pay government ex- 
penses. A system of government protecting the enter- 
prising and wealth-producing people, will so infuse life 
and energy into them that this country would take such 
rapid strides in the progress of civilization, as would as- 
tonish the surrounding nations and cause them to in- 
quire of each other with wonder, What has caused 
America to shine forth in such glorious beauty, with all 
its inhabitants enjoying the works of their own hands? 
The answer would be: the new system has prevented ty- 
rants claiming, under a heathen system, any part of the 

products of our labor, for the former things have passed 
away. 

The only thing that will bring about this change is 
to organize as proposed, until the voters in the organiza- 
tion outnumber all outside parties; then choose men in 
the organization, elect them, and send them to Washing- 
ton with the laws to have them take their regular course, 
and enforce them, which will produce the effects as 
briefly shown. This is a national movement ; for any- 
thing short of this will be of no account, The elections 
must be for the adoption of laws that are framed: — that 
we knuw something about, and not for men to frame 
laws that we know nothing about, and do not want. 
Let us see the machine first, and tell us what it will do ; 
then we will decide whether we want it or not. I hope 
to see the mechanics and the inventive genius of this 
country framing laws for the government of the people, 
that will cause all political parties, with all the expense 
connected w T ith them, to drop out of existence. I do not 
expect to see good laws until we have them come to us 
as our improved machinery has come; and be adopted by 



25 



the vote of the people. I think we have had tinkers ' 
and cobblers and patchers of laws long enough to satisfy 
the people ; now let 'is have a change. 

The proposed beneficiary pystem of insurance is as 
good and as cheap as any in operation at present. The 
only qualification necessary to become a member is age 
and character. Any person whose character is stained 
cannot be admitted to membership or allowed to remain 
a member when known. It will be an organization that 
will bear close inspection, and persons not belonging fco 
such an organization will be looked upon with suspicion ; 
and persons whose character will not admit them to the 
organization are the only ones who will oppose it. I in- 
tend having a paper published which will give full reports 
of the workings of .he organization. I also invite criti- 
cism on this system, but any criticism that will not show 
something else instead of what is criticised, will not be 
noticed any more than the doleful croaking of frogs in 
a dismal swamp. All criticism upon this subject must 
be by creation and not by rinding fault. 

Some one will say you need never expect to get such 
a code of laws adopted by the politicians of this country. 
Well, that is true; for no person can have any part or 
voice in making this change unless they are clothed with 
a good moral character. The politicians and political 
channels have become so corrupt that it is impossible to 
get any reform in that direction. In fact all govern- 
ments by representation are a failure, and will continue 
to grow more corrupt every year until their final over- 
throw, and any expectation of reform from our present 

system shall certainly perish. The elements of the de- 
struction of the present governments are fast gathering 
strength everywhere for their final overthrow. 

Were you to ask me for a formula to create anarchism, 
nihilism, communism, socialism, with all the combina- 
tions of isms and schisms, filled with wrath ready for riot 



26 

and bloodshed, and the destruction of the government 
itself, I could not give you a more effective one for that 
purpose than the present political system. It is that sys- 
tm that has put the country in the condition it is at the 
present time, and I do not see how it would be possible 
for the devil himself to invent a baser system of demonoc- 
racy than the present political system, which has opened 
the doors to the most debased and abominable from 
every nation under heaven to come and take part iu the 
government of this country. The result is that there is 
a class who have come to this country, who are like the 
troubled sea— never at rest, but continually stirring up 
mire and dirt. Our criminal courts, charitable institu- 
tions and prisons are well patronized by them. They 
make haste to become naturalised, and are voters in less 
than one fourth of the time of an American born citizen. 
The national and state governments sell to them indulg- 
ences or licenses; they open rum shops, for their polit- 
ical power is in the rum, to control voters, and are then 
ready to till any office in the country, with another class 
catering to them who call themselves Americans, but are 
not, and care nothing about American interests. They 
are of the same family of plunderers, and their whole 
object is plunder, with but very few exceptions. The 
whole country is exposed to their pernicious whims and 
notions. They do not seem to care for the interests of 
the people or understand the true science of government 
any more than the uncivilized cannibals understand the 
true science of figures ; for any system that takes away 
from the people by force the products of tbeir labor, is 
eating their flesh and drinking their blood;— it is only 
another form of cannibalism. They get elected to office, 
and by some political legerdemain, get rich in a very 
short time, at the expense of the people. 

I will call your attention to some of their trickery. 



27 

In January, 1862, Hon. Thaddeus Stevens, of Pennsyl- 
vania, introduced a bill into the House, authorizing the 
Secretary of the Treasury to issue $150,000,000 of green- 
back money. This bill contained the provision that this 
greenback money should be legal tender for all debts and 
dues, including customs duties. The introduction of this 
bill alarmed the bankers and money-changers of the 
country, because they knew that if it passed, gold and 
silver, the money of the despot, would cease to circulate. 
Consequently, a consultation was held, and after discus- 
sing the subject, appointed a committee to proceed to 
Washington and prevent the passage of the bill, if pos- 
sible. The efforts of that committee failed, however, and 
the bill passed the House. Their only hope then lay 
with the Senate. They went to w r ork on that body, and 
had the bill so amended, making the greenbacks legal 
tender, except interest on the public debt and customs 
duties, which were to be payable in gold. The Senate 
passed the bill, with its amendment, and it was returned 
to the House and passed. After the money-changers had 
succeeded in placing the exceptions upon the greenbacks 
they went to work to get trie benefit of their scheming. 
Just see how this was done. Gold must be raised by the 
government to pay the interest on the bonds, which was 
done by causing all importers to pay the customs duties 
in gold. The bankers and money-brokers had the coin 
in their hands, because they had suspended specie pay- 
ments, I think, in 1861. " Now," say they, "if you want 
gold you can have it at a premium;" and when the pre- 
mium rose to $2.50 those men exchanged their gold for 
greenbacks and with them bought government bonds, 
and in this way getting $2.50 worth of bonds for every 
$1.00 in gold invested. Now, with the bonds in their 
hands, the next move upon this legislative machine was 
to cause it to pass an act in 1869, called the credit 



28 



strengthening act, pledging the government to redeem 
the bonds in coin, which secured to the bondholders 
Jf2.50 for every $1.00 invested in bonds. 

Another trick played upon the people in favor of the 
moneyed power, was the contraction of the currency, 
wrecking the business of the country, and casting adrift 
in one year over ten thousand business men, having lost 
every dollar through contraction. 

Again, Jan. 1st, 1879, specie payment was resumed, 
which caused another shrinkage in all the products of la- 
bor in favor of the money king, and has made the pur- 
chasing power of the dollar much greater in the hands of 
those wreckers, and which will cause them less care and 
give them more leisure. 

This is only a sample of the games which are liable to 
be played upon the people of the country at any time un- 
less there is a change in the system. It cannot be other- 
wise, because the representatives of the country are men 
and not God. They are men who are selfish and covet- 
ous, and with such propensity, exposed to all sorts of in- 
fluence from every part of the country. As soon as they 
are elected to office, they are hounded by friends and 
committees and lobbyists from banks, brokers and cor- 
porations of every description, and from every quarter of 
the country, with inducements and influence of every 
sort, including money. All the aims and purposes of 
these hounds and wreckers are one, from the Jesuit 
priest to the money-broker:— that is, to cause this legis- 
lative machine to enact laws which will give them po- 
sitions and power whereby tbey can control the people to 
enrich themselves and live at ease. 

So you see that this system of government by repre- 
sentation is only a wrecking-machine, which, being op- 
erated upon by this outside power, can wreck the busi- 
ness of the country at any time they may run short of 
funds. The people, in voting, think it a great privilege 



29 

they have, that by their vote thev can change their con- 
dition ; but they are simply deceived. They only elect a 
machine for the wreckers to use for their benefit and 
that of their friends. A vote is not worth a fig to the 
great majority of the people, unless there can be a law 
enacted making it treason for any person to approach a 
representative with any inducements or influence of any 
kind ; aud for such crime make the penalty death to both 
parties; but, without such restriction, the whole system 
is like an open sea, liable to lash its waves of destruction 
upon the business of the country at any time and break 
it up and make it plunder for the wreckers. But where 
the law is first framed and adopted by the people, all be- 
come alike in sight of the law, for the law is no respecter 
of persons, because nothing but full satisfaction will sat- 
isfy the law. 

There is no expenditure of money with such little re- 
turns from it, as there is from the money paid out for 
legislation. If there are a class of men who must be fed 
at the expense of the people, it would be much cheaper 
to do it in the alms houses or at the end of a chain, 
whichever place is best suited to their condition and 
character. It is a mystery how the taxpayers can much 
longer endure such a government, which does not gov- 
ern, but has made them a prey to the vacillating dissen- 
tions of their political tyranny. They promise liberty 
and reform, while they are in bondage to their own cor 
rupt natures, and any reform from that direction is as 
impossible as it it would for the leopard to change his 
spots. For that reason this plan of organization is pro- 
posed, as there is no other way by which relief can come 
speedily and in peace. The people have a legal and a 
just right to take this or any other course which they 
please, as is provided for in the Declaration of Independ- 
ence, which holds "that all men are created equal ; tliat 



30 



they are endowed by their creator with certain inalien- 
able rights ; that among thtse are life, liberty and the 
pursuit of happiness ; that to secure these rights, gov- 
ernments are instituted among men, deriving their just 
pow T ers from the consent of the governed ; that whenever 
any form of government becomes destructive of these 
ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, 
and to institute a new government, laying its foundation 
on such principles and organizing its powers in such 
forms as to them shall be most likely to effect their hap 
piness." That these rights have been destroyed by the 
usurpation of them by a set of unprincipled demagogues, 
no one can honestly deny. That a change of system is 
absolutely necessary, is another thing that any person 
acquainted with the condition of the country will not de- 
ny. The prisons of the country are being filled, and a 
call for more room; our court-houses are not large 
enough, and there is a call for more court-room ; the 
alms-houses must be enlarged; police stations must be 
built on a larger scale; police officers, criminal lawyers 
and judges must all be increased. The tiller of the soil, 
the mechanic, the merchant, with all who are industri- 
ous, who make any improvements by their labor and 
economy, are all made criminals by this demagogism. 
The industrious and enterprising people are made to pay 
a fine for all their improvements, and any property or in- 
comes they may have saved by their labor and economy, 
has become a spoil to these blundering plundeiers. 

If any person will take the trouble to get an. assess- 
ment list from an assessor, they will see by such a list 
how sharp this old heathen system is being practised by 
politicians, who are tools in the hands of the moneyed 
monopolies, plunging towns, cities, states, and nation 
into debt, year after year, deeper and deeper ; and if you 
ask these politicians when or how shall this debt be 



31 

paid, invariably the answer is, by taxation. Here you 
find the country sinking under a debt which never can 
be paid under the present systom, and while the govern- 
ment is in the hands of usurpers holding a claim on 
everything imaginable produced by labor, subject to a 
fine or so-called tax to suppert crime. This abominable 
system or' government has put every obstruction possible 
in the way of honesty, virtue and enterprise. 

Under this system, there is no inducement whatever 
for any person to engage in any honest enterprise, for as 
soon as there is anything produced, there is a claim on 
it by this despotic power. The inducement is for laziness 
and crime of every description. You can see and hear 
of it being carried out every day in the embezzler, 
swindler, tramp, drunkard, murderer, thief and pauper, 
all well protected and comfortably housed, clothed and 
fed; and if sick, they are provided with a skillful physi- 
cian and the tenderest of nurses. If brought into court, 
they are furnished a paid lawyer, and perhaps a bribed 
judge, and a packed jury, and in many cases go out free. 
If sent to prison, they are soon pardoned out, having 
been well recruited for another job of the same kind, all 
at the expense of the enterprising and wealth-producing 
people. If anyone builds a house, a home or shelter 
from the storm, or any other improvements may be 
made, the owner, known or unknown, is fined tor mak 
ing such improvements; and if not able to pay such fine 
or tax, so-called, the property is sold by this heathen 
system and the people producing such property are 
robbed of the products of their labor and cast adrift, not 
accounted worthy of even a prison protection. The peo- 
ple who improve the country by their labor and enter- 
prise are looked upon as a sort of second-class criminals 
and beasts of burden, who must bear all the expense of 
this contemptible system of robbery, which claim a part 
of the products of labor. Where is there any protection 
to labor by such a system? I ask, for certainly I do not 
see anything but the principles which produce anarch- 



32 



isrn, socialism, communism, pauperism and crime in that 
heathen monster. It is gathering strength everywhere 
throughout this country, and unless there is a change 
very soon, the voice of the iron orator will be heard, and 
the documents changing the whole system of oppression, 
sealed in blood. 

The proposed system, if carried into effect, will sweep 
away the present system of oppression, and the enter- 
prising and wealth-producing people shall be protected 
and transgressors punished. Doubtless some one will 
say it is not right to tax the people who have no prop- 
erty. Is it right to tax the property of the worker to 
pay the tax of the demagogue and the lazy. Certainly 
not. Under the new system there will be an abundance 
of work. There will be no excuse for laziness. The la- 
borer? of the country pay all the tax now, only in an in- 
direct way, and about twice as much as if it were direct. 
By abolishing the present system of interest, persons 
can have only what they earn, and save from their earn- 
ings. This will put every person on an equal footing. 
The masses have been the chief capital of the money 
kings. Money earns no interest; it does not breed or 
hatch. Out of the sweat of labor all wealth must come 
in the end. 

I leave this matter now for the people of good moral 
character and self-respect to free themselves from the 
power of the usurpers. By organizing into one grand 
and noble body, for a grand and noble cause, with a de- 
termination to have a crowning success, they shall surely 
be rewarded. You have been shown how to better your 
condition financially, socially, and politically; also le- 
gally, easy and cheap; now, if you neglect such an op- 
portunity, it must be because you lack courage and moral 
character, and do not properly value your liberty and 
independence as American citizens. 

Any person wishing to become a member of such an 
organization, by sending their address to Alexander 
McDonald, Lamanda Park, Cal., shall receive notice of 
a meetiug for the purpose of making arrangements for a 
permanent organization. Let Pasadena or Los Angeles 
be the headquarters of this organization. 

August, 1889. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



linn mi i nun. 

027 293 713 8 




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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



027 293 7 



38# 




